


Can we get this right?

by orphan_account



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Swearing, lawrusso
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26859862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Johnny tries to find his lost bravery and Daniel battles with his own mistrust and shame.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Notes at the end ...

Johnny pretended he was still sleeping. He always did. This was the part where Daniel quietly stood up, got dressed, and left – in the middle of the night, not saying a word. He’d be back, but until then … Johnny sighed and got up. He didn’t want to stay in this shitty motel. He waited until Daniel’s car left the parking lot, headlights sliding over the walls and disappearing into the night.

It was two weeks later when he ran into Daniel at the grocery store. Johnny saw him walking down an aisle toward him and ignored him with practiced ease. Daniel did the same. This was the game they had played for years. It was never easy, but then again, nothing between them ever was.

Johnny grit his teeth when he saw another man join Daniel, briefly running a hand along his back before setting something in the cart. Daniel smiled up at the man, warm and trusting. Johnny had never seen that smile directed at him. Their relationship was forged in anger and mistrust, so the most he got was a glare or a frown, maybe a bitter laugh. Not that he hadn’t tried. He’d been trying to break down Daniel’s defenses for so long, but nothing ever changed. He was afraid Daniel would grow tired of him one day and stop showing up. What did he need him for anyway? But he hadn’t stopped yet. He always came back.

It had been about a year after high school. Johnny had approached him first, and Daniel hadn’t said no. Johnny still didn’t know why. 

He had had it all planned out back then. He grinned as he thought about his stupid 19-year-old self. So fucking confident. He was going to show up and get in Daniel’s face and tell him exactly how he felt. But when he’d gotten there, he hadn’t been able to say anything. He had wrapped an arm around Daniel’s waist and pulled him close. He had kissed him and Daniel had smiled up at him, soft and sweet. But he couldn’t say anything, couldn’t tell him. He felt like if he opened his mouth, he would ruin it all.

_Coward._

Johnny grimaced and closed his eyes, walking out of the store as fast as he could, depositing everything on a belt and just leaving, apologizing to the confused cashier with a backward wave and small, “Sorry.”

He had tried to talk to him once and it was the only time he’d seen Daniel cry, ever. He started off smooth, telling him he really loved their time together, he loved his eyes and his lips, his long legs, and the way he moved. Daniel had cocked an eyebrow at him, always so skeptical. Johnny had reddened and lost some of his nerve. 

“I just—I really love the time we spend together,” he’d stuttered. 

Daniel had looked away and breathed out a long sigh with a short “mmhmm” lost in the middle. He’d chuckled and gotten up, finished getting dressed and started going to the door to leave. 

Johnny had stood up to stop him, putting a hand on his chest, searching his eyes, “Wait.” 

Daniel met his eyes and Johnny’s blood ran cold with how blank they looked. No matter what he said, Daniel never believed him. He slid a hand up to Daniel’s face and Daniel instinctively leaned his cheek into it just like he always did, eyes going closed, letting out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. 

Johnny had smiled at that and stepped in closer to talk to him again. But Daniel pulled away, not before Johnny saw a tear fall onto his hand. He grabbed Daniel’s arm as he hurried for the door, pulling him around, trying to hold onto him.

“Johnny, let go,” Daniel had said, defeated, his voice breaking. 

His tears were starting to fall faster now and Daniel wrenched his arm away, practically running out the door, slamming it behind him.

Daniel walked to his car, wiping his tears away roughly with the heel of his hand, shame burning inside him. He sped out of the parking lot. He didn’t stop until he was home, until he could climb in the shower and get rid of any trace of Johnny Lawrence, until he could collapse, alone, and try to figure out why he was like this, why he felt this way about a man like Johnny. 

_Freak._

He had fallen asleep berating himself. The next morning he had gotten up, gone to work, plastered a smile on his face and acted like nothing had ever happened, like nothing was ever going to happen again.

But of course it did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel starts admitting things to himself. Johnny is happily surprised.

Daniel leaned up against the counter in his mom’s kitchen, sipping his drink, watching his extended family milling around. Holidays were always pretty relaxed with the LaRusso family. They ate, they talked, he got along with everybody, he could just breathe. 

“So honey …” his mom started, hesitantly.

“Yeah, Ma?” he asked, eyes half-watching his little cousins building legos on the floor. He had always loved stuff like legos when he was little too. He never built anything, really, but he liked putting them together. The snap they made when they connected.

“You haven’t brought anyone to any holidays lately. Is everything going okay?” she continued moving things around on the counter, fussing over the dishes she’d made.

“Oh,” he paused, he hadn’t dated anyone for quite a while. “Umm, yeah I hadn’t thought about it. But yeah everything’s fine. I’ve been focusing on work.” 

And this was true, he told himself. He’d been doing really well. Earning promotions, and the more sales he made, the more he made, so maybe he’d been spending a little too much time at the office. Pulling a few too many late nights with paperwork. Not like he was avoiding anything … or anyone. He sighed internally.

He must have sighed out loud too because his mom raised her eyebrows at him. “That’s all? Just busy with work? No one on your mind?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

His mom had always been light-hearted and mischievous, the perfect balance for him when he took everything too hard, everything too seriously. Ever since he was little, she helped him put things in perspective.

He smiled and looked down at the cup he was holding, swirling the contents, “Yeah, maybe. Just someone I’ve known for a long time.”

“Oh?” she asked. He could tell by her eyes she was trying to think of who it might be. “And what’s going on with this person you’ve known a long time?”

He huffed out a breath and looked at her, “I really don’t know.”

“Well, figure it out. I don’t like seeing you like this, alone. You seem a little lost,” she ruffled his hair and walked away to dote on the little cousins.

He pursed his lips. She was never one to hold back when she had a point to make and thought she was right. Reminded him of someone else he knew.

When Daniel got home, he threw his jacket onto the hook by the door, flicking on the lights in his apartment, one step up from the style of living he was familiar with thanks to his recent promotion. He still wasn’t used to the big windows, the monochrome colors, how pristine it all was.

He mulled over his conversation with his mother and glanced at the phone.

Should he?

Yes, he should, he decided. He pushed down his ever-present fear and dialed an all too familiar number.

“Hello?” a tired voice answered on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Johnny, it’s me … Daniel.”

A small chuckle, “Yeah, I know your voice by now LaRusso. So, what, usual time and place?”

Daniel smiled despite himself, “Umm, no, I uh … I got a new apartment. I was thinking … instead of the motel …” he trailed off.

Silence, and then, “You want me to come over?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do. Here’s the address,” his voice shook as he rattled it off, “and, uh, apartment 34.”

“Okay, I’ll be over soon,” Johnny said, still somewhat in disbelief.

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Daniel sat there stunned for a few minutes. What had he just done? He let out a huge breath and stood up, trying to find something to do until Johnny got there. He spent the remaining time randomly straightening and cleaning things until he heard a hesitant knock on the door. 

He jogged over and pulled the door open, scanning Johnny, leather jacket, nice jeans, a black T-shirt. But mostly he just wanted to see his face, try to read him through his eyes. 

Daniel looked up and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He usually kept his emotions under control around Johnny but there was something about his face tonight. He couldn’t help it, he pulled him into the room by the hand and laughed.

“What?” Johnny asked, a little taken aback.

“I dunno, I just … I like having you here,” Daniel smiled up at him.

Johnny’s eyes softened and he smiled back at Daniel, trying to put into his expression what he could never seem to say. 

Daniel realized he was still holding his hand. He let go quickly and chuckled, scratching the back of his head, “Uh, so … whaddya wanna do?”

Johnny raised an eyebrow, “What we always … do?” he asked tentatively.

Daniel smiled ruefully, “I thought maybe we could do something different for once. Different place, ya know? Change things a little.”

Johnny frowned a little but then grinned, “Sure, Daniel, whatever you want.” 

It was half an hour later and Johnny couldn’t believe that he was sitting here in the dark, a little bowl of popcorn in his hands, LaRusso’s knee pressed against his, and they were just watching a movie. He was dumbstruck. Awestruck. It felt so normal. When did this happen? How did this happen? 

Johnny smiled to himself and pulled the oldest trick in the book, scoffing internally at the cheesiness, stretching his arms out over his head before wrapping his left arm around Daniel’s shoulders.

Daniel just smiled and leaned into him. 

They were on a date. He was on a date with Daniel. This was going to take some getting used to.

They sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the movie, and Johnny kissed Daniel before he left, thanking him for the nice time, saying they should do it again. Daniel just smiled and nodded.

Johnny walked down the hallway and out of the apartment building, feeling like he was standing taller than he had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is happier, hooray! Things are going a little better for them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny and Daniel have a conversation that they should've had a long time ago.

He and Daniel had been dating – he still couldn’t quite believe it – for about a month. He was currently sitting in the middle of Daniel’s living room, Daniel on the other side of the coffee table, getting ready to spin. They were playing Life, and Daniel was soundly beating him, his car full of happy little blue and pink pegs while Johnny’s had a single blue one. 

Daniel grinned at his spin, 9, enough spaces to take him happily to retirement. Johnny grumbled and finished his turn while Daniel goaded him. Daniel had his left leg stretched out on one side of the coffee table, so Johnny reached over and ran one finger along the underside of his foot, tickling him, causing Daniel to yelp and pull his foot away, laughing.

Johnny grinned but his smile faded as he observed the way Daniel folded up his leg. “Daniel … ” he began.

Still smiling, Daniel looked over at him, eyes wide, face growing serious to match Johnny’s expression.

“Daniel, I never apologized for your knee,” Johnny said, reaching out a hand and placing it gently on the knee he had violently re-injured, so many years ago.

Daniel didn’t pull away but had frozen in place, watching Johnny.

Johnny sighed and tried to move closer. This time, Daniel did flinch away, just slightly. 

Johnny inhaled quickly. _Was he still afraid of him?_

“Daniel, I should have said this years ago. I’m so sorry for everything that happened … back then. I’m sorry for hurting you, injuring you, making you afraid to come to school, to go anywhere. It’s unforgivable. I just, I – I would never hurt you, ever again. I’m not the same person I was then,” he rubbed his hand through his hair. “I know every son of a bitch who’s been an asshole in the past says that, but I mean it. I really do.”

Daniel squinted at him like he was trying to spot a lie. 

He pulled his knee away and stood up, walking to the kitchen. Johnny just waited.

Daniel stood with his eyes covered by his palm in the kitchen, out of sight of Johnny. His mind was in chaos, warring thoughts going back and forth.

_How can you trust him? I can. Can you? He hasn’t hurt me since. But you haven’t let him close enough to hurt you, have you? But you feel safe with him. Surely that means something._

Daniel sighed; his mind made up. He straightened his back and walked back to the living room, where Johnny was still waiting. He held out his hands and pulled Johnny to his feet. 

“Thank you … for saying all of that,” he said.

Johnny reached out his hand, sliding it along Daniel’s cheek and holding it there.

Daniel sighed and leaned into his palm, stepping in closer to get lost in Johnny’s overwhelming warmth, breathing in the comforting smells of Johnny’s soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, and that unique undercurrent that belongs to each person individually. Johnny wrapped his arms around him, and Daniel buried himself in the hug. He felt safe here. He couldn’t deny it.

“I know you wouldn’t hurt me, anymore,” Daniel whispered, “I trust you … and I forgive you.”

Johnny let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He lifted Daniel’s chin and kissed him, slow and deep, trying to convey years of emotion.

Daniel held him tighter, not wanting to let go, not ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I didn't beta, so any mistakes are my own.


End file.
